====December 28, 2013
====Aaron, Cerise
====Aaron brings by a contraption to help Jiamoth's journey to mobility.

Who Aaron, Cerise
What Aaron brings by a contraption to help Jiamoth's journey to mobility.
When There are 0 turns, 4 months and 9 days until the 12th pass.
Where Dragon Infirmary, Southern Weyr

Aaron cerise13.jpg


Dragon Infirmary
An exceptionally large cavernous area is set aside for the dragons of the weyr to convalesce. Immediately adjacent to the ground weyrs, it provides some privacy for those pairs whose injuries require more silence and solitude for recovery. But there are also a number of dragon wallows here for triage and diagnosis; those with the worst injuries have the wallows nearest the open air exit reserved for them until they're well enough to be moved further in. Bins, shelves, and locked cabinets store all of the medicines and raw ingredients the dragonhealers will need for treatment, as well as things like blankets and 'medicinal whiskey' for the riders of the afflicted. A lettering system applied to the shelves above one lone desk hint at a filing system used by those who work here.


-- On Pern --
It is noon
It is 12:15 PM where you are.
There are 0 turns, 4 months and 9 days until the 12th pass.
It is the eighty-first day of Winter and 77 degrees. It is partly cloudy, but still warm and bright. Clouds have started to drift across the sky again. The jungles are almost dry.


Meal time! For Jiamoth that means one of her wingmates has delivered a sheep, its wooly already thoughtfully peeled off. She has it pinned beneath her remaining foot and is oh so daintily pulling strips of meat from the carcass to toss back into her maw. The green's showing a return of her normal color, and the stump left by the surgery seems to be healing well- it's been left unwrapped, showing clean edges where the hide was stitched down. For Cerise, whose appetite has been understandably soured, there is broth and bread. She sits cross-legged beside her lady's wallow with the cup of broth cradled in both hands for easy sipping. "I suppose," she saying, everything from expression to the set of her shoulder to the tone of her voice screaming "reluctant". "We'd need someone bigger along though to haul you back if you…oy! It could happen."

Bigger? Aaron's bigger! And who else should come walking into the yard /but/ the mountain of a Smith! Aaron's got a sly bit of a smile on his face, and is hauling a small cart behind him with… something covered in a heavy tarpaulin. When he rounds the corner and spies Cerise and Jiamoth, his face splits into a grin and he waves. "Hello, lovelies," he says as he approaches, jacknifing the wheels of the cart so that it can't roll away. "I've brought you something, my dear green," he says, giving Jiamoth a bow.

As one, the pair's heads turn to spy the Smith when the creaking of that cart is heard. And, as one, they tilt those same heads in a matched display of curiosity. Jiamoth's sweet silver notes fly above Cerise's slightly less melodic, "H'oy there, Weyrsmith, how's the day treating you?" Here they finally break ranks with the posing: the green's head lifts on her neck, and her eyes take on a brighter whorl as she licks her chops and looks expectantly from Cerise to cart to Cerise to Aaron… "Oh, aye? You've got her attention," the weyrling says, likely needlessly.

Aaron chuckles a little at the synchronization, shaking his head at the cuteness of it. "It's treating me pretty good, all in all. I finally got a chance to put the finishing touches on this. The Healers aren't sure Jiamoth's ready for it yet, but I figured I could at least show you both what we've worked up for her." He pulls the tarp back and reveals, not a prosthetic claw, but a guard for the stump. It's all shiny metal and leather padding, perfectly sized for fitting over and protecting the green's leg. "I got the measurements from the healers," he explains, tilting it to show the inside and the padding there, "and I figured it'd help her with her grip a little, too," he says, turning it over and showing the bottom, complete with little metal spikes for gripping rock. "These just unscrew," he demonstrates, "so they're completely replaceable."

It doesn't take long before Cerise is on her feet, the broth forgotten in favor of the stump guard. She's on her feet and zipping over in a blink, while Jiamoth gives a light but impatient warble from her couch. She's stuck! Darn it! But Cerise has called first dips and she watches closely as Aaron performs the demonstration, showing the ins and outs of what turns out to be an ingenious little accessory. "That's brilliant," she finally breathes. The tip of one of the spikes is tested against a fingertip before she shoots a hollow sort of grin up at Aaron. "That'd come in handy. She'd just started getting the hang of clinging to walls, before Keroon. Be nice if she could…aye, aye, we'll bring it over. No trying it on today though, lovey, not 'til the healers give their clearance. You're gonna need to build up some callous there, I'm thinking."

Aaron laughs at that warble, and once Cerise has examined it, he picks up the whole thing and carries it over to Jiamoth. "I tried to keep it as light as possible, but it's still a bit unwieldy, hence the cart. Donatien helped out with the leather and the padding, and honestly, you oughta be okay without calluses. You'll just have to check the stump for sores every day." He rolls the device over, showing Jiamoth the spikes and how they're removable. "There're loops for straps here, here, and here," he says, pointing, but we figured that we shouldn't cut anything until Jiamoth can help model for measurements and whatnot, to get everything as comfortable as possible." He smiles, offering a hand to Jiamoth, if she wants some scritches. The fact that she's in the middle of eating and probably rather bloody doesn't seem to bother Aaron in the least.

That bloodiness bothers her- Jiamoth is extra special careful when she dips her head down first to whuffle and eyeball the stump guard as it's shown off, not wanting to stain the leather with ickiness. Thoughtful huffs of breath mark her wordless contributions to the conversation; they bear strong resemblance to a person's use of "mmhmm" and "I see". Then, before tilting her head to accept scritches, she adjusts her line of sight to look at Aaron- one eye angled to meet two- and curls her tongue to trill soft thanks. It's likely unnecessary but Cerise puts in, "She says thank you, very much, it's as beautiful as it is functional," as she pads back over to take up her seat again. "And her thanks to Donatien as well," she goes on, translating. "She'll wear it with pride every day, as soon as they let her out of this- Jia! Language, lovey."

Aaron chuckles, shaking his head after the effusive thanks. "It's the least we could do, Cerise. I'm just glad we were able to do something to help. I hope it works as well for her and I'm thinking it will. Would you like me to leave it here, or take it back to the Smithy for safe keeping, until you can get up back up to your weyr?" Strong, rough fingers scratch at eyeridge and headknob, the big man quite happy to love on the dragon.

"I'm allowed to talk like that, you're not," Cerise finishes the scold before blinking at Aaron. Did he…? Oh, yes! That's right. Conversation. While Jiamoth lids her eyes and leans lightly into the Smith's fingers, making a soft clicky rumbling sound akin to the purr of tearing fabric, her rider considers more practical matters. "Likely the smithy's best, aye? If you've the room for it there. I'd keep it here but what with folks coming in and out…but they're saying she'll be able to start moving in a seven, we could likely do a fitting then, to get it out of your way?"

Aaron looks over at Cerise, shaking his head. "I've room for it, Cerise, or I wouldn't have offered. It won't be in the way. You just concentrate on taking care of Jiamoth, and of yourself, and let me know when you're ready for it, m'dear." Giving Jiamoth one last scritch and a loving pat, he bends and scoops the prosthetic up, carrying it back over to the cart. "And Cerise? Eat some real food. It'll do you some good."

A gust of breath rushes at Aaron's back- Jiamoth would have nudged him in farewell but daren't stain his tunic with blood, always the lady- while Cerise retrieves the cup of broth that provokes his parting words. "You're not my ma!" That she sounds like there's laughter lurking in her voice might be a hint that the young woman has been waiting awhile to use that line- thank you, Aaron, for providing the opportunity. "Thank you, Smith. Soon as we're able, we'll let you know. And fingers crossed, it shouldn't be long now. I did say thank you for you, that was for the both of us, aye? Eat your sheep, the man's got places to go and work to do." A pregnant pause ensues. "Fine, fine. Thank you from Jiamoth, Smith!"

Add a New Comment